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Count D.C. Council chairman Vincent Gray on the NO side in the public discourse concerning the controversial voting rights bill that could be approved in the House later this week.

Gray told the Washington Post Monday that he will not support the bill unless changes are made to the provision that severely restricts the city’s ability to set its own gun control laws.

"I do not support a bill that would have us give up our right to legislate and have us give up our gun control laws," Gray told the Post. He added that the gun amendment was too high a price to pay for securing a vote in Congress.

Gray is a Democratic candidate for mayor. His position puts him at odds with incumbent Mayor Adrian Fenty, who has argued the District can work on changing the bill’s gun language after the city’s representation in Congress is secured.

D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton shared Gray’s view for the past year, but decided last week that the bill is the city’s best hope to secure a Congressional seat. She said at the time that the gun provision was likely to pass anyway, whether the city gained representation or not.